1) Field of the Invention
The field of the invention pertains to communications including more particularly, to a system and method for connecting a user device to a network over a communication path including at least one wireless communication link.
2) Background
A proliferation of wireless communication systems in recent years has led to an increase in available communication resources and alternative access routes to public networks. A significant advantage provided by wireless communication systems over landline based systems is ease in deployment, allowing a wireless unit to be placed at remote locations without having to undertake the expense and inconvenience of physically connecting the remote locations with telephone lines, cable, fiber optic lines, or other communication lines.
While the proliferation of wireless communication systems has generally led to an increase in total available communication resources, it has also become apparent that many end users do not have access to the wireless communication resources. For example, most standard telephones, fax machines, set top boxes and computers are generally not equipped for wireless communication. The primary alternative to wireless access is landline access, which can be costly to install. Also, an end user may be given only one choice of provider when using landline service. A need therefore exists for connecting end users with standard non-wireless telecommunications devices with wireless communication resources, to provide alternative communication paths to public networks, at a relatively economical cost and to increase flexibility of provider selection.
Known wireless local loop systems typically include a wireless communication path for connecting an end user to a network by way of a wireless base station (e.g., a cellular base station). In one known type of wireless local loop system, end users using standard non-wireless communication devices connect through an interface unit. The interface unit processes outgoing and incoming calls between the base station and the standard non-wireless communication devices so that the end user can communicate over the wireless channel.
A particular problem faced in establishing a communication path between an end user using a standard non-wireless communication device and a wireless base station is the call initiation process. A known method for call initiation over a particular interface between telephone handsets and a cellular system is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,096. The interface described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,096 includes a cellular radio transceiver connected to the end user device, and means for converting touch tone or pulse dialed numerals or digits to digital data for transmission by a transceiver connected to the interface. As each digit is dialed at the end user device, the signals are converted to digital data and stored in the interface unit. The interface unit performs digit analysis to determine the number of digits being dialed. Based upon its digit analysis, it determines when the last digit in the number being dialed has been dialed and after determining that the last digit has been dialed, causes a "send" signal to be sent to the transceiver to transmit the stored digits to the base station. The transceiver transmits the dialed number over a wireless channel to a base station for use by the local telephone central control office in completing the call.
The above described technique has a particular disadvantage in that it does not provide flexibility in the digit analysis which can easily accommodate changes in numbering schemes. Further, this interface unit requires that the telephone numbering algorithms of the ultimate locale where the interface unit will be used be programmed into the interface unit. As an example, different countries have different numbering formats for the initiation of phone calls. Thus, an interface unit that operates in one country according to the numbering scheme of that country will not necessarily operate properly in another country with a different numbering scheme. While the interface unit can be modified for each different locality so as to be compatible with the different numbering scheme, doing so could entail reprogramming or other revisions when the interface unit is switched between localities, and also could prevent the manufacture of a uniform interface unit that is operable in all different localities, regardless of the numbering scheme employed in the locality where the interface unit is deployed.
More importantly, however, is the difficulty that is expected to be caused due to growth in the number of users of existing numbering schemes. As the existing numbering schemes reach their limits of capacity, new numbering schemes will be devised. If the numbering schemes are programmed into the individual interface units, it will be inconvenient and possibly costly to upgrade the interface units already deployed.
It would be advantageous to provide a system for linking an end user using a standard non-wireless device with a wireless system, thereby providing the mobility and flexibility advantages of wireless service, while at the same time providing compatibility with respect to numbering scheme and digit analysis regardless of which geographic locality the end user operates in, and allowing relatively easy changes to these numbering schemes.